The spoke is not broken

Originally Posted by Machin Shin

Do my eyes deceive me, or is that a broken spoke on the front wheel?

-Shin

At first look it appears that. If you look closer you can see where the spoke connects to the hub. Those wheels are very strong, radially. However, they have a lateral flex if you get in a good out of the saddle sprint.

If 80's steel was good enough for Hinault, Moser, Kelly, Roche, Lemond and Anderson then I need to prove my worthiness of it on a daily basis.
Holdsworth Professional (Reynolds 531 early 80's)
Special Build Team Raleigh (Reynolds 753 1987?)
Medici Pro Strada (early 80's Tange Prestige)
Univega Ultraleggera (Tange Prestige oversized .8/.5/.8 late 80's or early 90's)

Thanks a lot for the info T- Mar

Originally Posted by T-Mar

To the best of my knowledge, this model was only offered in 1992. It does not appear in my 1990 or 1991 Univega product lists and it appears to have been Lawee's last attempt at a high end, steel, road bicycle before venture venturing into more exotic materials such as Boralyn and carbon fibre. Certainly, the logo, lugless construction and oversized tubing are all indicative of the era. BTW, on closer examination, I believe that you will find that it is actually TIG welded, as opposed to fillet brazed.

I do not know who manufactured it, but I doubt it is Miyata and is probably a Taiwanese manufacturer. The serial number may substantiate the year and provide a clue to the manufacturer.

Thanks T-Mar!!! I have posted this in the past and you did not have any info. You must have more recently gained information. . The serial number for my bike AL9105090. Can you tell me anything more based on the serial number? Thanks.

If 80's steel was good enough for Hinault, Moser, Kelly, Roche, Lemond and Anderson then I need to prove my worthiness of it on a daily basis.
Holdsworth Professional (Reynolds 531 early 80's)
Special Build Team Raleigh (Reynolds 753 1987?)
Medici Pro Strada (early 80's Tange Prestige)
Univega Ultraleggera (Tange Prestige oversized .8/.5/.8 late 80's or early 90's)

[QUOTE=T-Mar;10144576]
I do not know who manufactured it, but I doubt it is Miyata and is probably a Taiwanese manufacturer. The serial number may substantiate the year and provide a clue to the manufacturer.[/QUOTE
I don't think it is Taiwanese. Mostly because the build quality and the fork crown closely resembles this. The premium materials (Tange Prestige and Shimano dropouts) would suggest a handbuilt frame.

Also, can you TIG weld Tange Prestige? Thanks.

Last edited by russdog63; 12-14-09 at 03:25 PM.
Reason: made additions

If 80's steel was good enough for Hinault, Moser, Kelly, Roche, Lemond and Anderson then I need to prove my worthiness of it on a daily basis.
Holdsworth Professional (Reynolds 531 early 80's)
Special Build Team Raleigh (Reynolds 753 1987?)
Medici Pro Strada (early 80's Tange Prestige)
Univega Ultraleggera (Tange Prestige oversized .8/.5/.8 late 80's or early 90's)

More than likely, I did not see your previous post or possibly I just did not dig deep enough into the archives.

As for the serial number, the format is the same as one of the Taiwanese built marketing brands I sold last year. If so, the serial number indicates a 1992 model, built in late 1991. I don't know who the manufacturer is. I can try asking the distributor, but they often closely guard the source of their bicycles.

The OEM goup was Dura-Ace and the price was $1950 US.

The Taiwanese were capable of building very good bicycles. They could build to any price point and standard you wanted, from department store level, up to pro level. The fork was likely purchased, pre-built, from Tange. It's possible it is fillet brazed but TIG welding was far more common during this era, due to its cost effectiveness. Prestige OS was definitely capable of being TIG welded. Diamondback models from this period featured this tubing and construction. If it is brazed, it more likely internally brazed, as opposed to fillet brazed, as this is more cost effective and easy to inspect. Please post a closeup picture of your frame's head tube joint.

More than likely, I did not see your previous post or possibly I just did not dig deep enough into the archives.

As for the serial number, the format is the same as one of the Taiwanese built marketing brands I sold last year. If so, the serial number indicates a 1992 model, built in late 1991. I don't know who the manufacturer is. I can try asking the distributor, but they often closely guard the source of their bicycles.

The OEM goup was Dura-Ace and the price was $1950 US.

The Taiwanese were capable of building very good bicycles. They could build to any price point and standard you wanted, from department store level, up to pro level. The fork was likely purchased, pre-built, from Tange. It's possible it is fillet brazed but TIG welding was far more common during this era, due to its cost effectiveness. Prestige OS was definitely capable of being TIG welded. Diamondback models from this period featured this tubing and construction. If it is brazed, it more likely internally brazed, as opposed to fillet brazed, as this is more cost effective and easy to inspect. Please post a closeup picture of your frame's head tube joint.

Thanks a lot. I am finally getting some info on this bike. It has been very elusive. $1950 makes that bike very high end for that time period. That price really reinforces a handbuilt frame to me. The price and the fact that I have not seen another one, while searching high and low, tells me that it is very, very, very rare.

If 80's steel was good enough for Hinault, Moser, Kelly, Roche, Lemond and Anderson then I need to prove my worthiness of it on a daily basis.
Holdsworth Professional (Reynolds 531 early 80's)
Special Build Team Raleigh (Reynolds 753 1987?)
Medici Pro Strada (early 80's Tange Prestige)
Univega Ultraleggera (Tange Prestige oversized .8/.5/.8 late 80's or early 90's)

If 80's steel was good enough for Hinault, Moser, Kelly, Roche, Lemond and Anderson then I need to prove my worthiness of it on a daily basis.
Holdsworth Professional (Reynolds 531 early 80's)
Special Build Team Raleigh (Reynolds 753 1987?)
Medici Pro Strada (early 80's Tange Prestige)
Univega Ultraleggera (Tange Prestige oversized .8/.5/.8 late 80's or early 90's)

It's difficult to say from the pics. The head tube looks like it could be fillet brazing but the BB pic looks like it may it may be a TIG bead. It could also just be penetration from internal brazing. The BB joints in particular, look very small and rough for fillet brazing. It's hard to say what the construction is, but it definitely isn't something built by a master fillet brazer.

Last night, I went back though all my 1992 magazines, hoping to find a road test or advertisement for this bicycle. There was very little Univega presence. Apparently, Univega was scaling back at this time. In addition to the cut in marketing, the lineup was less than half the size it was a decade earlier. I'm really not surprised that Univega road bicycles from this period are fairly rare. The dominant brands, based on advertising, were Trek, Specialized, Giant and Cannondale.

However, the one thing I did find was a reference to the Superstrada, in a guide to under $1000 models. It is listed as having a TIG welded, Tange Prestige DB OS frame. It is not uncommon for manufacturers to fabricate two models from the same frameset, by installing different component groups, so your Ultraleggera may well be TIG construction, though I can't make a definitive statement based on the pictures.

Thanks T-Mar. Sorry about the pictures. The bottom bracket is welded. There are beads around the joint. No beads on the headset joints. The info about the Superstrada is helpful.

If 80's steel was good enough for Hinault, Moser, Kelly, Roche, Lemond and Anderson then I need to prove my worthiness of it on a daily basis.
Holdsworth Professional (Reynolds 531 early 80's)
Special Build Team Raleigh (Reynolds 753 1987?)
Medici Pro Strada (early 80's Tange Prestige)
Univega Ultraleggera (Tange Prestige oversized .8/.5/.8 late 80's or early 90's)

When I was a sophmore in high school, I purchased a Univega Ital Sport (charcoal Grey) in 1987 on a closeout sale for @ $400.00. Shortly after I cracked the frame when the derailleur hooked a spoke and tore the hanger off. Univega replaced the frame with the only bike they had left for that specific model year in the proper size. Instead of replacing the frame they upgraded me to a Gran Premio at no additional charge. They sent a complete bike and let me keep the Campy components off the Ital Sport for an additional $100.00. I had the bike stored for 20 years until 2 months ago when I took it off my rafters and started riding it again. WOW what a bike and I am happy I did not discard it over the years. I put almost 400 miles on it in the last 2 months and am loving the ride. Kudos to Univega for building a bike so well. I believe I have the catalog for the specific year stored somewhere at my mom's house. Next time I visit her I'll dig it up and post some pictures from it.

Over the weekend, I picked up a Gran Turismo from a motivated CL seller. Serial # starts with M, which leads me to conclude it's a 1984 based on what I've read in this thread. I've already stripped it down, and it looks like it'll build up again very nicely. BB shows very little wear, and the headset feels smooth. I also fitted it with 700c wheels, and as reported in this thread, the existing Dia Compe canti brakes handled the 4mm lowering just fine.

I have the same bike! Just a bigger frame. It really is something to ride. I put 35c tires, hybrid fenders, and 8 speed Deore on mine. Makes for one hell of a commuter! It just got
a Christmas present from me a week or so ago. A Swagman rack trunk, hehe.,,,,BD

It has been returned to drop bars, a Terry Fly and black Bontrager stitch rubber wrap for better weatherability. Still rides like a cloud and gets me to work in no time

I have the same bike! Just a bigger frame. It really is something to ride. I put 35c tires, hybrid fenders, and 8 speed Deore on mine. Makes for one hell of a commuter! It just got
a Christmas present from me a week or so ago. A Swagman rack trunk, hehe.,,,,BD

That's a sweet looking machine BD! Has that great Cyclocross vibe going on
What kind of brifters are you running on that!?
I'll bet the rack trunk is nice for trips to the PO and stores....

I notice that you have the Grant Peterson/Riv "No more than a fistful of seat post" thing going on... I'm sort of playing around with larger frames w/ shorter top tubes and no more than a fistful of post for myself right now and it feels decent.....

"Mommy's all right, Daddy's all right, They just seem a little weird"

BICYCLE- The simplest and noblest machine:And they're all fun to ride, really

I knew very little about road bikes back when I got my Super Strada seen here right after I rebuilt it, but before I finished it or got it dialed in:

When I got it, it was sitting complete in a backyard with a bunch of newer mountain bikes. I had no tires or tubes on it, was missing the seat post and pedals and had a small portion of red/black leopard print bar tape left on the bars, it was otherwise in time capsule condition. The parts it came with were:

I have slowly been upgrading nearly every single part since then. The bike has had three major revisions. It seems that I am slowly going to be changing out every relevant part for parts that offer increased performance/personalization of fit. Here's what I have so far:

I figure it will eventually have full Ultegra 6600 equipment (with DA 7800 shifters) the way I'm going.

Here it is pictured much the way it is now, except that it's missing the Ultegra 6600 RD which I put on recently in preparation for 10 speed:

Future plans include:

- Need another 42cm, 26mm clamp ergo bar that has a tighter drop than my Modolo. This one is perfect in drops, but hurts my wrists on the hoods. If I rotate it up, the drops don't fit.
- DA 7800 hubs laced to Velocity Deep Vs in Ti finish, 32/32 radial
- DA 7800 DT shifters or possibly 7800 brifters if I can't find a set of aero levers that feel comfortable on the hoods of.

- Dura Ace 10sp DT shifters
- 10 speed chain
- I'd like to ditch the Exage aero levers in favor of DA aero levers
- new wheels: DT Swiss 1.2 laced to Dura Ace 7800 32h hubs, ideally. I'm not sure whether I will use Deep V, DT Swiss 1.2, or Mavic CXP 14 rims at this point.
- might try to trade the Deda Newton 12 degree stem for a 17 degree one at some point. (any takers?)
- might eventually replace the fork with a Reynolds 531 threadless fork, (is there such a thing?), and get a Chris King headset.
- will probably upgrade the saddle at some point

Let me know what you think!

"Winning is the best deodorant. Someone can look at your bike and say it stinks, but if you win with it, suddenly it's okay." - Jim Busby

Picked this here Univega Specialissima up off of Craigslist yesterday. The frame is in excellent condition. I'll clean her up, put on a proper stem and see how she rides. I'm impressed by the attention to detail! Diamond cut outs on the lugs, very neat and clean, and the paint is still lasting. Serial # indicates Miyata built in 1981 I believe. Tange Champion DB tubing. Suntour dropouts. I'll post some after photos too. Anyone know anything behind the name? Specialissima.

I love the headbadge!

Can anyone give me a ride from Monterey to Big Bear on Wednesday or Thursday?

Picked this here Univega Specialissima up off of Craigslist yesterday. The frame is in excellent condition. I'll clean her up, put on a proper stem and see how she rides. I'm impressed by the attention to detail! Diamond cut outs on the lugs, very neat and clean, and the paint is still lasting. Serial # indicates Miyata built in 1981 I believe. Tange Champion DB tubing. Suntour dropouts. I'll post some after photos too. Anyone know anything behind the name? Specialissima.

I love the headbadge!

With the exception of the stem, that is an awesome bike. I would very much like to find one just like it. It's even my size.

That's a sweet looking machine BD! Has that great Cyclocross vibe going on
What kind of brifters are you running on that!?
I'll bet the rack trunk is nice for trips to the PO and stores....

I notice that you have the Grant Peterson/Riv "No more than a fistful of seat post" thing going on... I'm sort of playing around with larger frames w/ shorter top tubes and no more than a fistful of post for myself right now and it feels decent.....

The rear is a an RX100 from a Trek 1200, and the front is a triple from a GT Force. The lever finishes don't match, but it's kind of funny they're reversed.
One is polished top with painted lever, and the other is painted top and polished levers. As far as being a big frame, I got it from only seeing it in pictures
on CL. A friend of mine picked it up for me, and I gave him $25 for doing so. I do like riding it though, even though it's bigger than "ideal". I need to put the Brooks
back on it, and buy a rain cover. Nothing felt as good as that broken in B.15.,,,,BD